Program Evaluation: Middle School, High School, and College Preparation Initiatives

Several initiatives aim to prepare students for middle school, high school, or college. For many of these programs, the ultimate goal is to increase retention rates and raise the percentage of students advancing to the next grade or graduating. The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available in PDF format from the links below.

The Texas Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs

The Texas Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (Texas GEAR UP) is a seven-year federal initiative designed to increase early college awareness and readiness in traditionally underrepresented groups. Texas GEAR UP addresses multiple aspects of the college awareness process, including advanced academics, educator professional development, early information and awareness, and family and community support. Additional information can be found at TEA's Texas GEAR UP page. A longitudinal, comprehensive evaluation of the program focusing on the implementation, impact, cost and sustainability of the program is being conducted by an external evaluator over the course of the seven-year grant period.

The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

House Bill 2237 Report

Section 18 of House Bill 2237, passed by the 80th Texas Legislature, directed TEA to deliver to the Legislature a preliminary report in December 2008, and a final report in December 2010. The report assesses the impact of grant programs awarded under Subchapter L, Chapter 39, Texas Education Code (TEC).

The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

High School Allotment

High School Allotment (HSA) provides formula funding per high school student to districts to prepare students to go on to higher education, encourage students to take advanced academic course work, increase the rigor of academic course work, align secondary and postsecondary curriculum, and support promising high school completion and success initiatives in grades 6 through 12. Every school district with high school students receives allotment funds. Please see TEA's High School Allotment Program page for current information on HSA.

The evaluation report and executive summary are available from the links below:

A longitudinal, comprehensive evaluation encompassing more than 100 schools was conducted by an external evaluator. Included in the evaluation were both THSP programs, as well as associated programs. THSP programs received the full benefit of the partners’ coordinated technical assistance and policy support. Associated programs had a focus related to the THSP mission but did not receive technical assistance and policy support and were funded separately by one of the partners. Both types of programs were incorporated in the THSP evaluation and included:

High School Redesign and Restructuring

High School Redesign

Early College High Schools

High Schools That Work Enhanced Redesign Network

Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (T-STEM) Academies

New Schools and Charter Schools

Principal Pilot Certification Program

UTeach

District Engagement

Education Leadership

Austin Independent School District district redesign

The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

High School Redesign and Restructuring Grant Program

High School Redesign and Restructuring (HSRR) was designed to provide high school campuses rated "Academically Unacceptable" under the Texas accountability rating system with the resources to build capacity for implementing innovative, school-wide initiatives designed to improve student performance on the campus. Additionally, this grant sought to create demonstration projects to provide case studies and models for successful practices in turning around low-performing high schools. Some HSRR grantees were evaluated under the Texas High School Project Evaluation.

The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

Middle College/Early College High School Expansion Grants

Middle College/Early College was designed to ensure the continued success, sustainability, and, where appropriate, expansion of Middle College High Schools and Early College High Schools, which give students who typically would not pursue postsecondary studies an opportunity to complete high school and a set amount of college-level coursework in an academically supportive environment. Additionally, this grant sought to provide other institutions interested in establishing Middle or Early College High Schools with information to allow them to implement effective and successful programs. Please see TEA's Early College High School Initiative page for more information.

The evaluation report and executive summary are available from the links below:

Texas High School Completion and Success Grants

The THSP program provided school districts with underperforming high schools with funds to implement high school completion and success intervention strategies, including credit recovery programs, tutoring, acceleration programs, and other supplemental services for students at risk of not graduating from high school. The Texas High School Completion and Success (THSCS) grant program targeted underperforming high schools through student-focused competitive intervention grants that provide direct and indirect support services to students in Grades 9 - 12.

The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

Ninth Grade Success Initiative

The Ninth Grade Success Initiative's (NGSI) goal was to increase graduation rates in Texas public schools by reducing the number of students who either dropped out or were retained in Grade 9. Grantees emphasized basic skills in core curricular areas and provided students with opportunities to build credits toward graduation. Besides reducing Grade 9 retention and dropout rates, grantees were also expected to improve student attendance rates and performance on state assessment tests. TEA partnered with the Texas Center for Educational Research to conduct an evaluation of this grant program over the 2002-2004 period.

The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below: